Only Murders in the Building season 5: key information
– Officially renewed for season 5
– No confirmed release date or trailer yet
– Show’s main cast to return
– No new guest stars unveiled, but very likely to appear
– Plot details scarce, bar speculation on season 4’s finale
– Co-creator John Hoffman hopes for more seasons
While the murder-solving, podcast-making trio of Only Murders in the Building may be hoping for a moment’s peace, they’ve got no such luck. The luck is granted instead to fans of the show as the incredibly popular murder mystery will be returning for season 5. With the backdrop of the luxurious apartment complex, The Arconia, and fronted by Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, it’s the perfect recipe for one of the best Hulu shows.
In Only Murders in the Building season 4, the show that’s about a podcast, became about said podcast becoming a movie. But, that wasn’t the most puzzling thing about it – instead, it was the onslaught of murders that kept occurring, notably of Charles’ beloved stunt double, Sazz Pataki. You’d think, given the trio’s success rate at solving these heinous crimes, that the offenders would pick a different place. But, as Only Murders in the Building season 5 is lined up, the killing spree is far from over. Here’s everything you need to know, including cast, plot, and when it could be released on Hulu (US) and Disney Plus (internationally).
Full spoilers follow for Only Murders in the Building seasons 1-4.
Only Murders in the Building season 5 release date prediction
Only Murders in the Building season 5 is officially on the way. During an exclusive interview with TheWrap in September 2024, showrunner John Hoffman revealed: “We’ve been keeping a secret for about a week and a half now. It’s very exciting. We’ve been in the writers room for season 5 for two weeks now. So it’s pretty fast and we’re already in.” We also know that it’ll be a ten-episode run, like the rest.
The renewal came only a week after the season 4 premiere and the leading trio headed to Instagram to divulge more. Quipping, Steve says: “So, when would that be on? It would be 2025.” To which Selena replies: “Well, we don’t know. We don’t have the date. We’ve got to shoot it.”
2025 seems quite likely though. Given the Hulu show’s previous release schedule, we’ve had a summer release date every year since 2021. So, to solve our very own mystery, we predict that season 5 will follow suit with a summer 2025 release date.
Only Murders in the Building season 5 trailer: is there one?
Only Murders in the Building season 4 only wrapped at the end of October, and the cast were discussing in September that they hadn’t started filming season 5 yet, so there’s no trailer to share. We’ll update this section once the trailer drops, which historically has come out mere weeks before the show’s return. So, hold tight until we’re solidly into 2025.
Only Murders in the Building season 5 confirmed cast
It wouldn’t be Only Murders in the Building without the charismatic and endearing trio of Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin, who will all be returning. We also have a confirmed guest star for season 5 – Téa Leoni – who appeared in the season 4 finale, which we’ll discuss more in the plot speculation below.
Despite already having a star-studded main cast to lead the show, Only Murders in the Building has proven that it will always bring in an incredible list of guest stars – from Tina Fey in season 1 to Meryl Streep in season 3. Although Streep has since become a recurring cast member. Not forgetting, there’s the Charles, Mabel, and Oliver of the season 4 movie adaptation, played by Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, and Zach Galifinakis.
While only the trio and Téa Leoni are confirmed, here’s who we expect will appear in Only Murders in the Building season 5:
- Steve Martin as Charles-Haden Savage
- Selena Gomez as Mabel Mora
- Martin Short as Oliver Putnam
- Meryl Streep as Loretta Durkin-Putnam
- Téa Leoni as Sofia Caccimelio
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Donna Williams
- Jackie Hoffman as Uma Heller
- Ryan Boussard as Will Putnam
- Michael Cyril Creighton as Howard Morris
Only Murders in the Building season 5 story rumors
Major spoilers follow for Only Murders in the Building season 4.
While we don’t know the Only Murders in the Building season 5 story synopsis yet, there’s a lot to unpack from season 4 that should give us some idea. While the trio successfully solved yet another murder – this time of Charles’ stunt double, Sazz Pataki – it felt once again like they’d finally be free to relax. But, it wouldn’t be a show without another murder.
As the trio enjoyed the fact that Oliver’s wedding day to Loretta (Meryl Streep) had gone unspoiled, they’re quickly brought back to reality as they find Lester, The Arconia’s doorman and beloved recurring star of the show, dead in the fountain. As has been the case with previous seasons, this cliffhanger ending sets up the tale for the next investigation – and season 5.
But, that’s not the only investigation hinted at as season 4 wrapped up. A mysterious woman, who introduces herself as Sofia (Téa Leoni), asks Charles and Mabel to find her husband, Nicky ‘The Neck’ Caccimelio. Now, we heard this name on a news report in episode nine saying Nicky, the dry-cleaning King of Brooklyn with links to the Caputo crime family, had disappeared. A report that Mabel reacts to. Sofia says she’ll pay them well to help her, to which they explain they only investigate murders in the building. Her reply, his disappearance has everything to do with the building. Though they turn her away, she leaves her card and the hint that her story will very much be intertwined in season 5.
A hint that has since been confirmed by co-creator John Hoffman to Deadline: “I think she’s the great tease at the end of the finale and a little bit of an intriguing bump forward.” Adding: “But beyond that, it’s a world opened up potentially that we haven’t talked about too much yet in New York, so she holds a lot of intrigue.”
There’s even more to discuss though – murders aside. The finale saw Oliver and Loretta wed, though Loretta’s TV show has relocated to New Zealand, and so did she. Leaving Oliver behind at The Arconia with his friends, they agree that they’ll make their unconventional relationship work, even with distance. Given this, we’d assume this won’t be the last we see of the newlywed, Loretta Durkin-Putnam.
Then, there’s the shocking return of Jan Bellows (Amy Ryan), who despite being imprisoned in season 1, saves the trio by shooting and killing Marshall P. Pope, aka Rex Bailey, aka Sazz’s killer. Though she appeared earlier in the season, Charles was also hallucinating Sazz, so it wasn’t clear whether he had imagined Jan, too. Fortunately, she wasn’t a pigment of his imagination and consequently killed to avenge Sazz, her friend after a visit in prison in season 2, and save Charles (and Mabel and Oliver). But, as the police took her away in handcuffs, Jan said: “It’s not goodbye, Charles. It never is with us. We’re endgame.” To this, we’d predict, that we haven’t said farewell to Jan after all.
Only Murders in the Building season 4 also concluded with the movie still filming. So, a return of Eva Longoria, Zach Galifinakis, and Eugene Levy could well be on the cards for season 5. Plus, with another murder in the building, we’d expect the return of the usual stalwart Arconia residents (who haven’t been murdered, yet) returning to aid in whatever way they can, especially now it involves a man who has helped them all before.
While we also met some of the unusual residents of the West Tower in season 4, it’s not clear whether they’ll be returning to help with Lester’s death, or return to their lesser-known side of The Arconia.
And when it comes to the recurring role of Paul Rudd – first as actor Ben Glenroy in seasons 2 and 3, and then as Ben’s stunt double, Glen Stubbins in season 4, co-creator John Hoffman told TVLine: “ The fact that he likes the show as much as he does, and keeps at it with us, moves me to the point of making terrible choices. Dramatically, I can’t take anything off the table for him or for Jane Lynch. Or anyone else, frankly.”
The trio doing what they do best, returning guest stars, new guest stars, a deeper look into New York and The Arconia’s history, and hopefully the resolution for poor Lester appear then to be the enticing construct for Only Murders in the Building season 5.
Only Murders in the Building: future seasons?
Back in season 3, showrunner John Hoffman told Screen Rant he was very eager to return for many seasons: “This is one of those shows where everyone involved in it is so happy doing it – and I know I speak for the trio and everyone else.” Continuing: “I hope it gives it a good long life.” While three seasons have now turned into five, we can only hope for more.
Hoffman certainly has ambition for more, if Hulu wants it. During an interview with Variety, he said: “Once you get over the hump of how many murders can happen in one building, you’re really stepping back and looking ultimately at the true original concept, which is three lonely people in New York City brought together by a common interest in true crime. Hopefully, we’ve tethered out our stories and hit reflections of things that we all recognize about life and death — and being that close to it and examining and investigating and following that, and then reflecting back. All of that feels very fertile always, so I’ll go as long as they’ll have us.”
There’s no official news past season 5 though. With a swift renewal in the midst of season 4, if we’re going to hear more, we imagine it’ll be nearer the time of season 5’s release in – we predict like Steve Martin himself – 2025.
For more Hulu and Disney Plus-related coverage, read our guides on The Bear season 4, Shōgun season 2, and X-Men 97 season 2.
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